For years we have been helping leaders in the Great Lakes region, capitalize on our amazing water assets & build out our #Blueeconomy. So nice to see new building blocks like the Great Lakes Waterfront Train becoming a reality! postindustrial.com/stories/us-c...

Economic analysis that shows that greenways, biking, hiking, and water trails raise property values nearby & drive billions in new economic & community development along the route. That's why this US-Canada Great Lakes Trail is such a big deal! postindustrial.com/stories/us-c...

Both the US & Europe would be well served to keep supporting the programs that provide flexible resources for local leadership to craft community development strategies based on particular local assets and priorities. Read my latest via @oecd-ocde.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/09/16/r...

Little noticed but a huge economic development driver for the bi-national Great Lakes is the nearing completion of an intertwined Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. Just out in @postindustrial.bsky.social postindustrial.com/stories/us-c...

In rural communities across countries disconnection & exclusion run deep, symbolic of what it means to be “left behind”. But across America & Europe local leaders are successfully working to regenerate hollowed out communities. Read my latest @oecd-ocde.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/09/16/r...

Economic change has seen rural & small town regions across all our countries emptied out But no place is too "small" to find new growth and opportunity. Inspiring examples in my new work from @oecd-ocde.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social @gettysburg2024.bsky.social

With an idealogically driven "greenlash" driving many national leaders away from the needed clean energy transformation, it is up to state & local leaders to carry the ball and banner forward. Read how in my new report from @dpzberlin.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

Leaders in extractive industry regions like my own West Virginia & Ohio, the Rhenish region & Cotbus area in Germany, face a similar choice. Promise their people to bring back the past, or lead them into a brighter, economic future. Just out @dpzberlin.bsky.social & @gettysburg2024.bsky.social

State & local leaders across democracies are stepping up to solve the real problems of today--like climate change & citizen disaffection. Find out how they do it in new work out from @dpzberlin.bsky.social, @gettysburg2024.bsky.social & @AIA-NRW www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

When I brought leaders from industrial belt of the US to similar regions in Germany, we found local leaders facing similar choices! Which way should communities turn? Read via @dpzberlin.bsky.social @gettysburg2024.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

As some of our nations leaders pull back from tackling climate change, local leaders are filling the gap. New work from our transatlantic partnership with @dpzberlin.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social @gettysburgcollege.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

State & local leaders across our democracies can step up & stay the course to develop the new clean energy economy and the good-paying jobs that come with it. Read new report sharing lessons from US & Germany. @aia-nrw.bsky.social @dpzberlin.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

Read the new work by our @gettysburgcollege.bsky.social international students, around what they need to see in their communities, if they are to stay, not flee! Future health of our democracies is at stake!. From @aia-nrw.bsky.social &EI online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/r...

Had a chance to contribute to this excellent @financialtimes.com.Turns out manufacturing is thriving in Michigan & our industrial #heartlands. Is high-tech, high-value and Trump's tariffs aren't necessarily helping! Get the story here: fhttps://www.ft.com/video/c9f757af-ffea-4188-a40f-69e589a9bfd1

As our US manufacturing heartland goes, so goes our nation. Watch this important new @financialtimes.com documentary about what is really going on with manufacturing, tariffs and trade, and our future. Sharing my work with @brookings.edu & @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.ft.com/video/c9f757...

What is the past, present and future of US manufacturing? And what's the impact trade and tariff policies on places like my home in Michigan? That's the focus on this great new documentary I got to play a role in just out from @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/video/c9f757...

"With Youth So Goes a Region" our new report out from EI and @aia-nrw.bsky.social It reflects the reality that where today's young people choose to build their lives and futures, so goes the economic and social vitality of our countries. Read what they have to say lnkd.in/g6iYc5w8.

Important new report just published from Eisenhower Institute & @aia-nrw.bsky.social Young leaders from across democracies spell out what is important to them in building communities and countries where we all thrive! online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/r...

Regions of our democracies that are in economic decline, where young have fled, are fertile ground for anti-democratic political movements. Hear what young people themselves say they need to make places they choose to stay. @EI and @aia-nrw.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/de/share/boo...

Young people want to be engaging in shaping the direction of their communities. If not they will find somewhere else to take their talents. Read what else is central to those who will shape our future. Just out from @aia-nrw.bsky.social & @Eisenhower Institute lnkd.in/g6iYc5w8

Where young people go, so goes the life & economic vitality of our countries. Learn what matters most to young people in around where they choose to make their own futures, and ours! Our new report from @Eisenhower Institute & @aia-nrw.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/r...

As authoritarian leaders shake the foundations of open, freedoms & rules-respecting democratic nations, it is never more important that the family of nations committed to democracy, transparency, free trade, and expression work closely together. Read my latest via @dgap.org lnkd.in/gbT-zJvq

Earlier this year at a @munsecconf.bsky.social event Finnish MP Tytti Tuppurainen offered her country as example of an egalitarian economy and cohesive society that had avoided the politics-upending ethnonationalist upwelling that challenges other democracies. Read how via @dpzberlin.bsky.social

With too many of the world's big powers today animating a "might makes right" approach to the world, the countries that do want to uphold a rules and rights-respecting international order need to team up. My latest with @aia-nrw.bsky.social & @dgap.org dgap.org/en/research/...

Not only are Finns the happiest, they have a successful, egalitarian economy & cohesive society avoiding ethnonationalist upwelling & polarized politics that plague most of our democracies. Read my latest: @dpzberlin.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/finland-show...

Family of democracy-defending nations are under pressure from authoritarians on all sides. Germany, Europe, & democratic allies across the globe must band together to strengthen their own economies & collective economic @ political hand. My latest @aia-nrw.bsky.social @dgap.org lnkd.in/gbT-zJvq

While US joins team authoritarian, the family of remaining democratic nations need to step up and enhance their economic collaboration and political strength--to push back. Read my latest with @dgap.org, @aia-nrw.bsky.social dgap.org/en/research/...

I Just published with @dgap.org what the family of democratic & international rules & values-respecting nations must do to strengthen their own economies' and the collective economies of nations with shared values-- to push back against authoritarians. dgap.org/en/research/...

Residents of left-behind regions are angry & alienated. But where communities recover residents' pride and optimism returns, diminishing appeal of polarizing politics & building more cohesive and functional democracies. Read my latest via @oecdlocal.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/07/03/c...

Effective economic regeneration of struggling communities & regions across must be locally conceived, owned, operated & implemented. Read how state and national governments a can best support these efforts. My latest via @oecd-ocde.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/07/03/c...

Catch my latest set of recommendations for leaders of our democracies, if they were serious about delivering new economic opportunity for those feeling ignored and left behind. Out from @oecd-ocde.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/07/03/c...

Wonderful to join Northeast England economic change makers in beautiful Redhills Durham Miners Hall-to share ideas for how older industrial communities across all our countries can find new life and social cohesion once again! @insightsnortheast.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social

Heading to England's North to speak at Newcastle University's Insights Northeast conference, sharing inspiration around how very similarly situated industrial heartland communities can find new hope, optimism and prosperity!

Terrific to travel across Germany with my delegation of US Midwest leaders and economic change makers. Sharing insights around new paths to prosperity for very similarly situated industrial heartland regions. With help from @aia-nrw.bsky.social, @dpzberlin.bsky.social @amerikahaus.de

Catch our new white paper presented at the OECD’s Trento conference on Regenerating Heartland Communities in Transition. Puts community leaders and citizens in charge of defining their own brighter future! Out from @aia-nrw.bsky.social & Eisenhower Institute www.aia-nrw.org/en/publicati...

My new paper shared at @oecd-ocde.bsky.social conference--turns conventional national place-based & cohesion policy on its head, and puts community leaders and citizens in charge of defining their own brighter future. Out from @EI and @aia-nrw.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/r...

Here in Trento, Italy, sharing at OECD - OCDE's Conference on Regional Policy a new Policy Proposal around how to support bottom-up economic transformation in struggling regions of our democracy. Published with help from @aia-nrw.bsky.social & Eisenhower Institute www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

There are a variety of paths to new prosperity for heartland regions that have seen their signature industries decline. Read my "policy pitch" to the @oecd-ocde.bsky.social on how to do it! Published by @aia-nrw.bsky.social & @Eisenhower Institute www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Join Us in Dortmund next week!

🌍 Together in Transition – What can Germany’s Ruhr & the U.S. Rust Belt learn from each other in facing deindustrialization? Join us with our fellow @jcaustin.bsky.social for a transatlantic dialogue on economic change, democracy & resilience. 🔗Register here: www.aia-nrw.org/en/e/togethe...

Looking forward to getting to the North of England joining other higher education & economic change makers sharing insights & strategies for University-led economic and social transformation. More important to advance than ever! @aia-nrw.bsky.social insightsnortheast.co.uk/event/ine-20...

If you are in Germany's Ruhr region, join us on Tuesday, June 10 in Dortmund. I will be sharing strategies for heartland economic transformation with German partners at this @amerikahaus.de event. @aia-nrw.bsky.social amerikahaus-nrw.de/de/eventdeta...

🌐At our recent NRW-USA Parliamentary session, @jcaustin.bsky.social shared insights on how populism & isolationist policies like "America First" can harm global partnerships. Grateful for the insightful contributions from all participants! #Democracy #Trump100Days #AIAFellowship #USA #NRW

I also shared what we can all do to check Trump's damage-doing. One thing is for remaining democracies to team up and strengthen their collective economic and political hand to check authoritarians China, Russia and now Trump! See new brief from @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Why is Romania set to elect as leader an undemocratic strongman, while Finland maintains a strong democracy? Read how Finland does it, in our new report out from the Eisenhower Institute and the Academy of International Affairs NRW. www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

🤝To counter rising authoritarianism, democratic allies must act together. Our Fellow @jcaustin.bsky.social urges nations committed to the rule of law to strengthen inclusive economies & deepen allyshoring ties as the U.S. shows signs of authoritarian drift. 🔗https://www.aia-nrw.org/PolicyBrief3

Can democratic nations eager to maintain the rules-based and freedom-supporting international political and economic order succeed, now that Trump Administration is joining China and Russia in seeking to tear it down? Yes! Read how via @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Across democracies, right-wing ethnonationalists have made disturbing gains. Important to take lessons from counter examples, where effective political leadership & right social & economic policies hold democracy together. Read via @aia-nrw.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/f...

Rather than accommodate #Trump or return to reliance on #China, democratic nations that believe in a free, rules-based international order have collective economic heft to build their own powerful economic & political bloc. My latest out from @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Finland has headed off anti-democratic forces getting traction by building an egalitarian society & continuously demonstrating that democratic institution can & do deliver for the people. Lessons for leaders everywhere! my latest from @aia-nrw.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/f...